Ball-bearing



(No Model.) 2 'sheetssmeetll 1. G. F. SIMONDS. B'ALL BEARING.

No. 449,961. vPatented Apr. 7, 1891.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. F. SIMONDS. BALL BEARING.

Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OPEETCE.

GEORGE F. SIMONDS, OF FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

BALL-BEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of IJetters Patent No. 449,961, dated April7, 1891. Application led December 30, 1890. Serial No. 376,287. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FREDERICK SIMONDS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fitchburg,in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful improvements inBall-Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bearings in whichspherical rollers or ballsare employed to diminish friction; and it has for its object especiallyto provide a ball-bearing in which an extended anti-friction surfacewill4 be presented for taking the end-thrust of engine and propellershafts or other rotarybodies, also to provide means for confining andretaining sphericalrollersorballsforresistingend-thrust in sectionalordivided cages composed of partly annular sections that can beconveniently handled for placing them in position around a shaft withoutremoving or withdrawing said shaft from its supports, and means forsecurely connecting theseveral sections of a cage after they have beenplaced in position.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a partlybroken away -view of a sectional or divided cage inclosing severalconcentric series of spherical rollers or balls presenting an extendedsurface for resisting end press-ure or thrust. Fig. .2 is a transversesection of the cage, showing the balls protruding from opposite sides inposition to resist end pressure or thrust. Fig. 3 is a plan of the innerside of a semicircular plate forming part of a sectional or divided cageand illustrating a modification in the arangement of the circularopenings through which the balls are to protrude. Fig. 4 is a plan ofthe inner side of a semicircular plate, showing another modification inthe form and arrangement of the openings for protrusion of the sphericalrollers or balls. Fig. 5 is a plan of a sectional or divided cageprovided with means for detachably connecting its separable parts inasingle body. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 7 isaplan of a n sectional or divided cage in which the separable parts orsections are detachably connected at the outer portion of the cage bymeans of half-rings bolted together. Fig. 8 is a transverse section ofthe same on the line a: m. Fig. 9 is a plan of a sectional cagecoinposed of segments of a circle detachably connected at the outerportion of the cage by means of links.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1- designates the sphericalrollers or balls, and 2 denotes the sectional or divided cage in whichsaid balls are coniined or retained, and from which they protrude inposition to take end thrust or pressure.

For resisting the pressure of turn-tables or the thrust ofpropeller-shafts, engine-shafts, and other rotary parts where it isdesirable to present large anti-friction surfaces, the spherical rollersor balls 1 may be conveniently arranged in several concentric or radialseries Within a cage of suitable construction adapted to hold andconfine the balls in such a manner as to allow them to revolve freely inall directions and facilitate their application and removal in a body.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the divided orsectional cage 2 is composed of semicircular or semi-annular plates 3,having perforations 4, through which the balls 1 can protrudelaterally-to take end pressure or thrust. Four of these plates 3 areplaced together in direct contact with each other throughout theirentire adjacent surfaces, and the opposite parallel plates may besecured by means of screw-bolts 5, Figs. 1, 5, and A7, to form theseparate sections of an annular cagefinwhich the balls 1 are inclosedand from which they protrude laterally on both sides of the cage, asshown in Figs. 2, 6, and 8, so that they are adapted to take endthrustin either direction. The inner edges of the plates 3 are formed withsemicircular openings 6, Figs. 3 and 4, which, when the sections of thecage are placed together, form a complete circle, as shown in Figs. 1,5, and 7, for surrounding a shaft or other cylindrical part to which theball-bearing is applied. By forming the annular cage 2 in this manner itcan be applied with ease to a large shaft or in situations where itwould be inconvenient to attach an inseparable annular cage orballbearing frame.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 6 that the openings4 are concaved on their inner sides, so that when the plates 3 areplaced together they form spherical chambers for receiving and'retainingthe spherical rollers or balls. These chambers or open- IOC ings 4 may be arranged radially in concentric series, as shown in Fig. 1, or theymay be arranged irregularly, as shown in Fig. 3, and so enable theballsto travel in irregular and intersecting paths to present a moreextended bearing-surface and distribute the frictional wear, so that itwill be reduced to a minimum.

Instead of providing the plates 3 with circular openings 4, as shown inFig. 3, the chambers or openings for the balls 1 may be elongated orslotted and arranged radially, as represented in Fig. 4, in which I haveshown long slots 7 and shorter slots 8,a1ternatin g with each other andextended radially, so as to provide a simple means of arranging theballs in such a manner as to cover extended surfaces and allow forsuflicient play to greatly diminish the effects of friction.

It is obvious that by dividing the cage or forming it in separable parts0r sections it can be placed around a large shaft with great easeWithout incurring any necessity of removing or withdrawing said shaftfrom its supports, thus adding materially to the convenience ofinserting and removing the ballbearing.

For the purpose of detachably connecting the semi-ann ular sections ofthe divided cage, two of the four plates 3 may be made somewhat largerthan the others, so that two alternate plates can lap each other andform a rabbeted joint 9, secured by screw-bolts 10, t

as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. By this construction the opposite sections ofthe cage can be secured together either before or after placing theball-bearing in position.

When it is desired to secure together the separable parts or sections ofthe divided cage `in a situation where it would be inconvenient to applythe screw-bolts 10, the ref qulred detachable connection or fastening ftogether of the cage-sections can be accom-l plished by means ofhalf-rings or half-bands 11, surrounding the periphery or outer portionof the cage and held by removable bolts 12, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.In this con? struction the bolts and half-rings are readily accessibleto permit the connection and separation of the cage-sections wheneverdesired.

As shown in Fig. 9,the separable or divided cage 2 may consist of anumber of segmental countersunk recesses 15, formed .in the severalcage-sections; and 'as these links are located at or near the outer partof the cage in accessible situations they can be readily detached topermit the separation and removal of the cage from around a shaft.

What I claim as my invention isl. The combination, with sphericalrollers or balls for taking end-thrust, of a removable cage composed ofseparable partly annular sections having lateral openings and adaptedfor holding and retaining said balls in position to revolve freely inall directions and protrude laterally from said cage to resist thrust orend pressure, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with spherical rollers or balls for takingend-thrust, of a cage for holding and retaining balls for a thrustballbearing composed of separable partly-annular sections detachablyconnected at the outer portion of the cage, said sections having lateralopenings adapted for holding and retaining said balls in position torevolve freely in all directions and protrude laterally from said cage.to resist thrust or end pressure, substantially as described.

3. Thecombination, with spherical rollers or balls for takingend-thrust, of a cage for holding and retaining balls for a thrust ballybearing composed of separable partly annular sections detachablyconnected together, said sections havinglateral openings adapted forholding and retaining said balls in position to revolve freely in alldirections and protrude laterally from said cage to resist thrust or endpressure, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with spherical rollers or balls for takingend-thrust, of a cage for holding and retaining balls for a thrustballbearing composed of segments of a circle fastened together bydetachable connectinglinks, said sections having lateral openingsadapted for holding and retaining said balls inposition to protrudelaterally from said cage to resist thrust or end pressure, substantiallyas described. A

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. F. SIMONDS. [L. s]

Witnesses:

JAMES L. NoRRIs, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD.

IOO

